Italian aerospace and defense conglomerate, Finmeccanica is continuing to negotiate the sale of non-core businesses in a bid to cut its burgeoning debt. The company is putting a stronger focus on its aerospace and defense businesses, which have had a relatively comfortable first half of 2013, compared to its struggling transport and energy businesses that have, according to CEO Alessandro Pansa, frustrated investors and resulted in the downgrade of the company’s credit rating.
Etihad Airways plans to buy a 49% stake in Serbian national carrier Jat Airways and rebrand the operator Air Serbia under a five-year management contract that proposes sweeping changes to the company’s structure and network. Air Serbia will be Etihad’s sixth affiliated equity partner, including Air Berlin (in which Etihad has a 29% stake), Air Seychelles (40%), Virgin Australia (10.5%), Aer Lingus (2.99%) and Jet Airways (24%).
Bombardier’s CEO Pierre Beaudoin says “a lot of small stuff” has led to the most recent delay in the first flight of the CSeries prototype FTV1. “Wires have been plugged in upside down. It is nothing significant, but we need to learn. Sometimes what we thought would take half a day takes two days,” he said Aug. 1 during the company’s second quarter earnings call.
German light-sport aircraft (LSA) manufacturer Flight Design continues to make progress on its first Part 23-certified aircraft with the selection of a Garmin avionics package, negotiations for a diesel engine and plans to assemble the C4 in both the U.S. and China.
Independent appraisals have pegged the current market value of a new Boeing 787-8 at $129 million, or about 38% below Boeing’s $206.8 million list price for the model, while a new 737-900ER is valued at $55 million, or 44% below Boeing’s $94.8 million list price, a United Airlines regulatory filing reveals. The three appraisals, conducted as part of a prospectus tied to United’s financing of 21 soon-to-be-delivered Boeing aircraft, value a 787 slated for October delivery at $123.6 million, $124 million and $129 million, respectively.
Preliminary results from a ballot of AMR Corp.’s creditors and shareholders show that the two groups overwhelmingly support the company’s proposed merger with US Airways, says the operator. The airline says that of the eight creditor classes entitled to vote, at least 88% of the ballots (representing more than 97% of the claims value voting in each class) voted in favor of the plan. AMR also says more than 99% of the shares tabulated for the class of AMR stockholders voted to accept the merger.
Buoyed by the fast-track resolution to the cause of the recent Boeing 787 fire at London’s Heathrow Airport, and with the imminent rollout of the stretched 787-9, Boeing is dropping the strongest hints yet that it will inevitably push 787 production beyond 10 aircraft per month.
For the U.S.’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), this time the sky really might be falling. Just as the program was demonstrating early results and the FAA was solidifying its pro-NextGen leadership, including Administrator Michael Huerta and new Chief NextGen Officer Michael Whitaker, now comes a one-two budget punch that threatens to disrupt the fragile momentum the decade-old program had built up lately.
Aer Lingus plans to decide on the composition of its future long-haul fleet by the end of this year, CEO Christoph Mueller tells Aviation Week. The airline is mulling several options, including an all-Airbus A350-900 fleet, a mix of A330s and A350s, or just A330s.
EADS has decided to make significant changes to its corporate structure and put the entire company under the Airbus brand. The board of directors approval followed a proposal put forward by CEO Tom Enders to change the company’s name to Airbus Group. Defense and space units Cassidian and Astrium will be merged and called Airbus Defense and Space. Eurocopter also will lose its current brand and be re-launched as Airbus Helicopters.
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) opened its 2013 AirVenture on July 29, welcoming FAA controllers to help bring in the thousands of aircraft to the week-long event. But the effects of sequestration were apparent without any military flights on the air show schedule, or any forums involving the heads of either the FAA or NTSB.
A Boeing 787 grounded by Qatar Airways for more than a week has resumed scheduled services. According to industry sources, the aircraft—registered A7-BCB—on July 21 was surrounded by fire trucks just prior to its planned departure, following what is believed to have been a smoke incident towards the rear of the fuselage. Qatar Airways did not comment on the details, other than confirming a “minor issue.”
Air France will cut a further 2,500 to 2,600 jobs in an effort to restore its short- and medium-haul network to profitability. Management informed union representatives of the planned cuts at a works council meeting July 31. These redundancies will occur on a voluntary basis.
Click here to view the pdf Nonstop Passengers Per Day Each Way, Bogota - Miami Nonstop Passengers Per Day Each Way, Bogota - Miami American AVIANCA Others 2008Q1 422 242 60
Cessna Aircraft has logged nearly 200 hr. on its Jet A-fueled Turbo Skylane JT-A aircraft since it first flew in May, and company executives say the aircraft remains on track for delivery in the third quarter. The manufacturer unveiled plans to develop the diesel-powered Skylane at EAA AirVenture 2012 in Oshkosh, hoping to tap into a growing demand for alternatives to light aircraft powered by aviation gasoline, particularly in parts of the world where aviation gasoline (avgas) is not readily available.
The Chinese air force appears to have had enough of being held responsible for the country’s notorious flight delays, or is at least trying to shift the blame. The largest cause of flight delays is poor airline management, not the air force, according to statistics issued through official media by “relevant departments.” And, contrary to common belief, civil aviation gets plenty of air space, says a report by the China News Service, a state news agency.
Click here to view the pdf Nonstop Passengers Per Day Each Way, Guadalajara - Los Angeles Nonstop Passengers Per Day Each Way, Guadalajara - Los Angeles Mexicana Volaris Others 2008Q1 517 - 4
Cirrus is beginning initial production work of the first conforming Vision SF50 single jet, and is hoping to launch an 18-month certification program early next year. Patrick Waddick, who in March was named president of the Duluth, Minn., general aviation manufacturer, says the company is focused on completing the first certification aircraft, called C0, and kicking of the certification program late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter of next year.
Growth in air freight has begun to accelerate according to figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The latest statistics show a 1.2% growth of air cargo for June. That compares to 0.9% in May and 0.1% for the first half of the year. IATA however, still remains cautious. “It is too early to tell if June was a positive turning point,” Director General and CEO Tony Tyler says, noting that the basis of the June development is fragile.
